What is Love?
by lap1997
Summary: Toph leaves the camp and Zuko follows to bring her back. Zuko/Toph fluff. Slight AU.


Disclaimer: "I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender"

lap1997: So I decided to try my hand at a little bit of Zuko/Toph fluff. This is based off of the fact that many people think Toph should be with Aang or Sokka, but canonically, they both are with someone else. Also, slight AU, because also according to canon, Zuko is with Mai. Anyways, enjoy.

Zuko watched Toph storm off into the woods until he couldn't see her small form in the thick jumble of branches and leaves before sighing and standing up. "I'll get her" he said as he headed in the direction Toph had gone, away from the group and the campfire.

"What's with her?" Zuko heard Sokka ask. Zuko didn't wait to hear Suki's response, and just walked deeper into the trees to find the small earthbender.

He lit a small ball of flame in his hand so he could see where he was going, and called out "Toph! Where are you?" She didn't answer, so he kept wandering, hoping that he would find her soon.

He wondered what it was that had set her off this time. Nothing happened that would make her mad, not that he could tell. All that happened was Aang and Katara had gotten up and left to go 'practice waterbending', and Sokka and Suki had been shamelessly making out. Maybe that was it.

Zuko ducked under a low branch as he continued looking. Maybe she got fed up with listening to Sokka and Suki. Zuko couldn't blame her. Sure he was happy for them, they were his friends. But seriously, couldn't they do that in private so it wouldn't bother the rest of them?

Suddenly, he heard the sounds of crashing and smashing and turned in that direction. Where there was crashing and smashing, one could usually find Toph. He found her, flinging rocks in all directions, unaware of his approach. "Toph!" he shouted to get her attention. Her head whipped around at the sound of his voice. Zuko barely had time to duck as she roared and sent a boulder sailing towards his head.

"Hey! What are you..." he didn't get to finish his sentence as she sent two more large rocks at him. He dodged them both, getting into a defensive stance, getting ready for her next attack.

She lifted a wall of earth in front of herself, before sending towards Zuko. He deftly jumped over the wall and started to walk towards her.

"Toph, what's wrong? What are you doing out here?"

"Leave me alone!" she screamed before, flicking her hand, erecting a tall pillar of stone beneath him. He jumped to the ground and cushioned his landing with a burst of fire from his hands.

He tried to get close to her, but she sent a flurry of stones flying at him. Deciding that he wasn't going to hold back anymore, he let loose with several blasts of flame, incinerating the stone before it could touch him, all the while moving closer and closer to the enraged girl.

"Get away!" she yelled in frustration as she stomped her foot into the ground and sent a shockwave his way. Zuko landed flat on his back with a grunt as his breath was knocked out of him. Then he saw Toph standing over him, a giant boulder in her hand, ready to crush him flat. His eyes widened in surprise, before he rolled out of the way, the rock smashing right into where he had been not two seconds before.

Zuko had seen the anger in Toph's sightless eyes. That was to be expected, but what was unexpected, was the hurt, and most of all, the tears. He had never seen Toph cry before, and it was hurting him to see her like this.

He stood up, and as quickly as he could, charged her. He caught her off guard with this, and before she could react, he grasped her wrists and trapped them behind her.

She struggled against him, shouting, "Let go Zuko! Let me go!" She couldn't escape his grip, no matter how hard she tried, and finally hung her head in defeat. Only then did Zuko release her hands, asking "Now, are you going to tell me what's bothering you? Why are you crying?"

"I-I'm not c-crying" she denies shakily, even though she knows that she can't hide it. She hears him sigh, then senses him stepping up to her. He awkwardly wraps his arms around her and pulls her close, hoping to comfort her. She finally snaps burying her head in his chest and releasing the tears she had been trying to hold in. He holds her like that until her sobbing begins to subside.

Finally, she speaks, "Zuko… what's it like to love someone and have them love you back?" Zuko is stunned at her question, but suddenly, he realizes why she left the campfire. She had seen the two couples just being couples, and it must have finally gotten to her that she didn't have someone special.

She clutched his tunic with her small hands as she waited for him to answer her question. He softly stroked her hair and said "It's the best feeling in the world Toph. It's the feeling that, no matter what you do, you'll always have someone to be there for, to comfort you when you're hurt, and encourage you when you feel that you can't go on. Love is being all warm and happy and safe when you're with them, and every moment you aren't with them, you spend thinking of when you'll see them again. That's what love is."

He continued to hold her for a while longer, just standing there, stroking her hair. "Do you love someone?" she asked, her voice muffled by his chest. He frowned sadly thinking of Mai.

"I did, once."

"Did she love you?"

"I thought she did, but we wanted different things, and in the end, I couldn't stay with her" he responded. She didn't speak for a long time.

Then she asked "Do you think that someone will ever love me?" He looked down at her, surprised by her question.

"Of course Toph. I'm sure of it"

"Then why hasn't he found me yet? Everyone else has someone, but I have no one" she said, beginning to cry again.

"That's not true Toph…"

"Yes it is!"

"No it's not. You have me" he said, holding her tighter to his chest. With those words, she backed away from him with tears streaming down her face and sniffed. "Really?" she asked, wiping the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand. He smiled, even though she couldn't see it and said "Really"

She rushed back into his chest and hugged him, holding him tight, afraid of letting go. He wrapped her in his arms and held her, his heart swelling as he realized the meaning of his words. He realized that he wouldn't change a thing about the girl he was holding and that he wanted to protect her and make sure that she never cried again.

"Zuko" she said looking up at his face. "Yes Toph?" he asked, looking down into her eyes. She reached up and kissed him softly. He closed his eyes, leaning down into the kiss. After a few seconds they separated and she said "I love you" He smiled down at the tiny earthbender, before pulling her back to him and kissing the top of her head. "I love you too".

End.

lap1997: Well, that was better than I expected. Longer than I expected too. Love it, hate it, leave a review to let me know what you think. They are all appreciated. Thanks!


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